Burnt Ice
by scarlett2112
Summary: When Elena's skating partner suffers a career ending injury, her coach encourages her to take a chance with a brilliant but undisciplined skater. Following a rather ugly fall from grace, figure skater Damon Salvatore is given one last chance to prove to the world that he's more than a flash in the pan.
1. Chapter 1

Hearing the music start, Elena skates onto the ice with her svelte yet muscular legs and a firm conviction. Since her pairs partner is late for practice, Elena starts working on their program herself to warm up as it were. Although she's surprised that their coach, Liz Forbes hasn't arrived yet, she doesn't let it hold her back. For her whole life it seems, she's been practicing for the moment she and Matt take center stage at the Olympics. At last year's US finals, they finished first but stumbled at the world championships, taking the bronze medal.

As she waits for the music to start to begin her program, she rolls her eyes when she hears her voice. Looking up, she doesn't miss Rebekah Mikaelson making her always grand entrance. She watches as her old nemesis struts onto the ice like the cat who ate the canary. With a wave to her lemmings, she goes into her routine. Beginning with a triple toe loops, she spins into it with her strong legs and lands it perfectly. Of course, Rebekah can't help but gloat, casting an 'in your face' look directly at Elena.

Taking the high road, Elena forces a smile and turns away to continue practicing her routine. Picking up the pace, she skates hard and fast before launching into a triple Lutz, triple toe loop combination which she lands perfectly as well. Continuing on, she happens to notice her coach, Liz Forbes walking into the arena and down the stairs. Still wondering where Matt is, she skates over to Liz to see if she knows. When she reaches the edge, Liz hands her a towel with which she wipes her sweaty brow. After setting it down, she takes a drink of water before sitting down beside Liz.

"Matt isn't here yet."

"That's why I'm late. Matt was jogging last evening and stepped in a hole. He broke his ankle badly, Elena...," she says, pausing to let the news sink in.

"What?" Elena asks incredulously, her mouth agape. "Um.. How long will he be out.. God, I'm terrible, is he going to be okay?"

"Yes, Elena, he will be okay but whether he ever skates competitively again is another story entirely. His mother told me that he's going to need pins and plates in that ankle."

"Oh my God, Liz."

"I know but I've already talked to someone about taking his place."

"Already?"

"Yes, Elena. If you're going to go to nationals and the Olympics, you have to have a partner."

"So long as it's not that jerk, Damon Salvatore, you know the one who used to partner with Rebekah? Who is it anyway?"

Liz smiles and says, "Damon Salvatore."

* * *

"Can I have a day or two to give it some thought?" Damon asks, raking his hand through his hair in frustration. When the woman on the other end of the line says yes, Damon clicks off the phone and sets it down on his desktop. Dropping onto the bed, he buries his face in hands. Sighing, he can't help but think he's losing his mind that he's seriously considering Liz's offer. After all, it was the cut throat world of competitive ice skating that led to his spectacular downfall in the first place. Hearing a rap on his door, he sits upright, forcing a smile when his mom steps into his room. All it takes is one look for her to know that something is bothering her son. Taking a seat beside him, she pats the top of his leg. Damon blows out a breath of air and shifts to face her.

"What's bothering you, Damon?"

"Liz Forbes called me."

"And?"

"Apparently Matt Donovan broke his ankle in a freak accident. She wants me to partner with Elena Gilbert."

"That's terrible, I mean about Matt. She wants you to resume skating?"

With a nod, he answers, "She said that I would be an asset to Elena and that she hopes I'll seriously consider being her pairs partner."

"And how do you feel about that?"

"I miss skating, mom but a part of me is afraid of going back to that world. I mean, I spiraled down hard and fast."

"You did. And believe me, I don't want to go through that hell again either. Until you have a child of your own, you won't know how it hurts to see someone you love that much self destruct."

"I'm sorry that I put you all through that. And I know hindsight is twenty, twenty but I wish I could undo all of the stupid things I did. And even though I'm afraid, I want to prove to myself that I don't have to spiral into a morass of alcohol and an occasionally drug induced stupor.

"Damon, I think you should talk to Liz about your concerns. If afterwards she's still willing to take the risk then I think you should go for it if that's where your heart truly lies. Just know that I will support you no matter what your choice ultimately is."

"Thanks mom," Damon whispers, pressing a kiss to his mom's cheek. After giving his leg a squeeze, she gets up to leave his room. Pausing at the door, she tells him that supper will be ready in an hour before walking out. Getting up himself, Damon steps into his closet. Dropping to his knees, he pulls out the box of championship caliber ice skates. Leaning back against the closet wall, he runs his finger along the glimmering steel of the blade, his mind a whir of both determination and uncertainty.

 _Pulling into the parking spot, Damon spots the car. Taking a breath, he reaches under his seat to pull out his flask. After twisting off the lid, he takes a long pull, emptying its contents. Closing his eyes, he leans his head back against the seat, savoring the buzz. Before getting out, he pops a half a dozen breath mints into his mouth, pocketing the rest for later. Reaching into the back seat, he pulls out his skates then exits his car and walks into the ice arena._

 _Seeing him stroll in like he's God's gift to all womankind, Rebekah casts a scathing look along with a middle finger in his direction. With a smirk and a waggle of his brows, he closes the distance between them. "It's good to see you too, Bex," he teases, winking at her._

 _"You're incorrigible," she sneers, grabbing him by the wrist to pull him towards the benches. Once he's seated, he slips on his skates and then follows her onto the ice. As they start their routine, Rebekah says softly albeit with a sting that she can smell the alcohol all over him._

 _"Oh, Daddy," she says loudly, motioning for Mikael to join them on the ice. As soon as he skates over, he catches a whiff of Damon's breath too. Before Damon can utter a sound, Mikael angrily launches into a tirade of colorful metaphors. Seething on the inside, Damon starts to walk away, only to have Mikael grab onto him..._

Standing up, he picks up the a picture of himself and his dad after Damon won his first skating medal as little boy. Running his fingertips over it, Damon closes his eyes and takes a deep breath and asks. "What should I do dad?"

* * *

"You did not just say that," Elena blurts out, jumping up and starting to pace back and forth in front of Liz. Her heart is literally pounding against her chest and her tummy roiling at the mere thought of having to work with that arrogant jackass.

"He's very talented, Elena. He'll be an asset."

"Are you being serious right now? He has no discipline, he takes what he wants, he does what he wants, he says what he wants and on top of all that, he's an ass."

"I know that he can be cocky and full of himself sometimes but he has excellent skills."

"If he was so great, why did he drop out of the sport?"

"Elena, he was a very young man who was suddenly thrust into the spotlight. And in the middle of all of that, his dad died. The two of them were extremely close. Between the fame and Giuseppe's death, it took its toll."

"I'm sorry about his dad, I really am, but I was also a very young girl thrust into the spotlight and as much as I detest Rebekah, she was too. But we didn't turn to alcohol and drugs to cope," Elena snaps, glaring at her coach.

"Elena, it's not set in stone. I asked him to come in to skate with you. If he doesn't work out, we'll try to find someone else."

"Why are you so insistent about this? Do you know him outside of the skating world?"

"I do. I grew up with his mother, she's still my best friend."

"Why weren't you his coach then?"

"Because at that time, he was paired with Rebekah. And as you very well know, they were coached by Mikael."

"Yeah, I know," Elena admits, glancing over to see Rebekah speaking to her father. After she gives him a kiss, she goes back on the ice, nailing a perfect Salchow. Rolling her eyes, Elena turns back to Liz. "Do I have a choice at all?"

"Of course, Elena. But as your friend first and your coach second, I'm asking you to please give him a chance. I gave him till tomorrow to get back to me as to whether he wants to come back or not. It's my hope that he will."

"Fine, I'll give him a chance but only if I have your word that you'll send him packing if we can't work together."

"You have my word."

* * *

After much deliberation, weighing both the pros and cons and with his mom's blessing, Damon walks into the skating rink. With his skates hanging over his shoulder, Damon pauses when he reaches the ice. Looking around, he's almost mesmerized by the way it gleams, the Zamboni probably only recently smoothing it out.

 _"That's it, Damon, you can do it," Giuseppe Salvatore says, encouraging his young son. With his eyes firmly on his feet, Damon hangs on to his hand for dear life as they slowly move along the ice. Having watched his daddy skate form the sidelines before, Damon asked for a pair of skates for Christmas. As they make their way across the sheet of ice, Giuseppe skates around it with him, a sense of pride filling his senses at the big smile on his boy's face. After they go around two or three times, he lets go of Damon's hand. As soon as he does, Damon spins around, landing flat on his behind. Tears filling his eyes, he blubbers, "Why did you let go?"_

 _Stooping down, he helps Damon up, pulling him into his chest for a hug. "You need to learn to skate on your own. I was right behind you, little man."_

 _"But daddy, I falled down."_

 _"And you'll fall again many times but that's how you learn," he adds, ruffling Damon's messy black locks. Helping him up, he takes his hand to get him started before letting go a second time, staying close behind so he can catch him if he loses his balance again._

Hearing his name called aloud, he snaps out of it and looks around to see where it came from. He sees Liz waving at him before turning away to speak with someone unfamiliar to him on the sidelines. Not seeing his new skating partner, he has to wonder where she is. Although he doesn't know Elena personally, he has watched her skate both when he was with Rebekah and on TV during nationals. When he notices Liz waving at him again, he sucks in a deep shuddering breath, forcing one foot in front of the other till he reaches her.

"Damon, I'm so glad you came. Elena should be here in about an hour. I wanted you to have a chance to warm up before she arrives."

"She wasn't thrilled about having me for a partner was she?"

"Not exactly but it's up to you to prove her wrong. I have faith in you, Damon. I know how hard you've worked to get your life back together. I'm proud of you."

"Thanks, Liz."

"Listen, Elena is above all a professional and she's got a good heart. This could turn out to be a great partnership for both of you."

"I guess we'll find out when we get on the ice," he says, taking a seat on the bench. After slipping off his sneakers, he puts his skates on. Having not worn them for some time, they feel a little foreign on his feet. Once they're on, he just stares at his feet for a few moments. Willing himself to stand, he grips the edge of the bench, closes his eyes and forces himself to his feet. Swallowing thickly, he shares a glance with Liz and then skates out onto the ice. Rather than try any fancy moves on his first pass, he just skates, his mind free of everything but what he's doing. Unbeknownst to Damon, Elena has entered the rink, watching him as she makes her way over to Liz. After lifting her bag off of her shoulder, she sits down, her eyes only on him as he works the rink as if he owned it.

"He hasn't lost anything while he was gone," Elena admits, watching him intently.

"All I ask is that you give him a chance, Elena."

"I'm here aren't I?"

Turning to face her, Liz smiles and says thank you. Just as she's about to embrace Elena in a light hug, Damon skates over, his familiar smirk plastered all over his face.

"Hello, Elena," he says, offering his hand.

"Damon," she returns, extending her hand. She's more than a little surprised when he presses a kiss to the top of it. Trying not to roll her eyes, she pulls her hand back but doesn't take her eyes from his.

"Like what you see?" he asks, waggling his eyebrows in a not so innocent manner. Chuckling, Liz covers her mouth when Elena's head snaps to hers.

"Why don't you two give it a whirl?" Liz says, eyeing Damon with a unspoken warning. Her eyes drift from Liz to Damon and then finally to her feet. Reaching down she takes off her shoes and then puts her skates on, painstakingly lacing them up. As soon as they're secure, she stands up. When Damon offers his hand again, she frowns but latches on, letting him lead her onto the ice. At this hour, they're the only two people practicing at the rink.

"What should we do?" Elena asks, curious to see how rusty he might be.

"Why don't we try some waist lifts and then maybe we can work into the hand to hand overhead lift?"

"Okay then..," she says, taking his hand again, they start to skate as when Liz turns on some music for them. Taking both of her hands in his, he skates backwards pulling her along with a few stylish moves. Speeding up, he latches onto her waist, picking up and spinning her finesse. Elena can't deny that he knows what he's doing when he's on the ice. Spinning with her for several feet, he gently puts her down, takes her hand again and they skate even faster and when he raises her up this time, it's into a press lift. Instinctively trusting him, she spreads her arms, the two of them forming a graceful picture on the ice.

Watching them together, Liz knows she made the right choice with Damon. If he can keep the demons at bay, she knows she has the makings of a champion ice skating pair. Putting her whistle between her lips, she blows on, motioning with both arms for them to come in when she sees Mikael and Rebekah along with some of his other skaters entering the arena.

Glancing to his left, Damon notices that Mikael is staring at him with a scathing intensity. Not only did he catch Damon drinking and popping pills during practice, he also caught them sleeping together and for him it was a bridge too far. He wouldn't tolerate his little princess getting corrupted by the likes of Damon.

Although Mikael loathes Damon with the passion of a ten thousand suns, he latches onto his daughter's arm, telling her to keep her distance from them. Turning her nose up, Rebekah brushes her dad's hand off of her arm and skates towards Damon and Elena.

"Well look who's back?" she sneers, circling him on her skates.

"You're just mad cause I'm the only one who can get you off," he retorts, quirking his brows at her. Pandemonium erupts when Rebekah launches herself at him, pounding him repeatedly with her fists. And although he'd like nothing more than to smack her right back, he won't hit a girl. Finally having enough, he grabs her by the wrists and pushes her away from him. Although it takes every ounce of self control he has, he winks then turns his back and skates away.

Having watched the whole sordid spectacle, Elena stares at his retreating form, thoroughly disgusted by what she witnessed. Taking a breath, she starts to skate back towards Liz, nearly losing her balance when Rebekah latches onto her too. "He's bad news, Elena. If you were smart you'd stay as far away from him as possible."

"Why do you care?"

"He's an addict, Elena. He drinks and pops pills. You won't go anywhere with him as your partner."

"Are you jealous perhaps?"

When Elena sees her cheeks blooming red, she knows she struck a nerve with Rebekah. Stalking towards her and with a height advantage, Rebekah towers over her, smiling widely. "Sweetheart, don't mess with me," she adds, all the while maintaining the sinister smile on her face. Angry at the dust up that she had a ringside seat to, she blows out a frustrated breath of air before skating back to the sidelines where Liz is waiting for her to join them.

* * *

As soon as Elena reaches her coach, she gives Damon a look then pulls Liz aside. "Did you see that little display? I won't be put in the middle of his bull crap, Liz."

"Yes, Elena I saw."

"Well, what are you going to do about it? I don't want to skate with him," she spits, looking over Liz's shoulder once more. Seeing that his back is turned, she grimaces but doesn't care whether he hears her or not.

"Listen, Elena...," she starts then pauses, turning back to look at Damon for a moment. After sharing a look with him, she looks at Elena again. "I know you're upset about the Damon and Rebekah spectacle but surely you could see how well the two of you skated together?"

"I won't deny that he knows what he's doing but do we really want all of his baggage following us wherever we go?"

"Damon has a reputation, I know that but you should know that he may be your only chance to get to nationals and then the Olympics. Time is running out, you know this."

"Surely there are other skaters out there?" Elena snaps, dropping her eyes down to her skates.

"No one of Damon's caliber."

"Are you really going to make me do this?"

"No, Elena, I'm not. The decision is ultimately yours but you need to be aware of the stakes." Dropping her eyes, she startles when she hears his voice.

"If you don't want me, just say so," Damon snaps, having heard every word of her bellyaching.

"I didn't say that, I said that I didn't want all the baggage you carry with you. I didn't need to see the pissing contest between you and Rebekah either."

"I came in here minding my own business. It's not my fault that she decided to intrude. I didn't provoke her or even look at her. Liz, this isn't going to work. I'm leaving, Miss prima donna here can find herself a new partner. I don't need her holier than thou attitude either," Damon snipes, more than a little put out by her attitude.

"How dare you?" Elena snaps, getting in his face."

"What's the matter princess, no one ever have the balls to stand up to you?"

Speechless and with her mouth hanging open with indignation, Elena huffs but doesn't back down one bit. Needing to defuse the situation before push comes to shove, Liz steps between the two of them, extending her arms to put a little distance between Damon and Elena. "Enough! I know you're still teenagers but you're old enough to know how to behave yourselves. No more, am I making myself perfectly clear?"

"Crystal," Damon snaps, his eyes focused solely on Elena.

"Alright then, get back on the ice and practice," Liz adds, crossing her arms over her chest. Nodding, Damon turns away from Elena and skates back onto the ice. Having been left with no other choice, Elena reluctantly follows behind. When he offers her his hand, she stares at it for a few moments before latching on, gasping slightly at the goosebumps that erupt out of nowhere. Their eyes meet just as the music starts and Damon leads her gracefully into a series of spins and lifts. Although he's trying to stay focused on what he's doing, he can't seem to shake the gnawing feeling that's building inside of him when he pulls her in close, their bodies touching as if they were part of a beautiful symphony not of words but of movement.

* * *

Although she hates to even admit it, she and Damon do work well together if they can set their personal animosity aside. Despite Rebekah glaring at her and making innuendo every time she and Damon came near her, it was a good session. It took Damon hardly any time to learn the moves that she's used to. Stopping in the gift store, Elena buys a bouquet, a couple of magazines and a box of candy to give to Matt. With her purchases safely in her arms, she uses her elbow to push the elevator button, stepping inside when the doors slide open.

Stepping out when she reaches his floor, she stops at the nurses desk to ask to ask if it's okay to visit him. Given the go ahead, she walks down the hall, pausing when she reaches his room. Fortunately his door is open since her hands are too full to knock. His eyes are closed and his leg is up on pillows. She swallows uncomfortably when she sees the pins sticking out of his ankle. When he hears her boots tapping on the linoleum, Matt opens his eyes, smiling sadly at his predicament.

"Elena, I'm so sorry," he tells her, dropping his eyes and shaking his head back and forth.

"Matt, it's not like you did it on purpose. I hate it too, believe me I do but...," she says. With tears beginning to fill her own eyes, she repeats, "I hate this."

"Don't cry, Elena."

"Are you going to be able to skate again?"

"The surgeon can't say for sure. He said it's possible but not probable. It'll depend on me."

"You have to work for it, Matt. I need you."

"Elena, there's no way that I can skate for at least six months. You'll never make it to the Olympics if you wait for me," he says, extending his hand, pulling her to the bedside when she grabs on.

With her heart pounding wildly, she takes a deep breath then asks, "Have you talked to Liz?"

"No, my mom called her about my ankle. Why?"

"She wants me to skate with Damon Salvatore. Do you believe it?"

"Damon Salvatore.. _the_ Damon Salvatore?" Matt asks, incredulously.

"The one and only," Elena confirms, rolling her eyes. After letting go of his hand, she pulls a chair up and sits down next to him. "And let me tell you something, he and Rebekah got into it the minute he skated onto the ice."

"Do tell?"

"She accused him of being a drug addict and he flung it right back at her, saying she's only upset cause he's the only one who can get her off," Elena explains, wrinkling her nose in disgust.

"I guess it's true that he doesn't hold anything back," Matt chuckles, remembering having taken a spin with Rebekah himself.

"Although Rebekah was her usual self around him if you know what I mean...," Elena says, pausing to roll her eyes, "but you could tell she was a bit irate to see him. I mean, you went out with her a couple of times, did she mention Damon?"

"That was when you and I were just starting to skate together. I only went out with her like three times," he starts to say, lying smoothly. "She may have mentioned that he likes his booze." Matt looks at Elena pointedly before dropping his gaze to his hands fisting on the bedding. Trying to get himself out of the bind he's in, he adds, "Maybe he hurt her somehow.. the guy has a temper or so I've been told."

"No doubt," she adds, her mind suddenly drifting to the sensations that erupted all over her insides when he touched her the second time they went onto the ice. "Matt, I.. I hope you won't be angry but I can't wait another four years to go to the Olympics. As much as I don't want to, I am going to skate with Damon."

"Elena, no. Isn't there someone else?"

"Matt... I don't want a new partner either and as much as it hurts me to say this, you may never skate competitively again. And as far as Damon goes, believe it or not I asked Liz the same question. She said no.. but she also said that I had veto power on whether or not I wanted to partner with him. I'm going to give working with him a shot."

"Don't do this, you're my partner," he sneers, his facial muscles contorting in anger.

Seeing how angry he is suddenly, Elena scoots back the chair and starts to stand up. Confused because one minute he's saying not to wait for him and now he's mad because she chose to do just that, she drops the topic. Rather than fight with him, she says nothing. After picking up her handbag, she gives him a long hard look and says goodbye. Pulling the door closed, the last thing she hears before it shuts completely is her name leaving Matt's lips.

* * *

Nearly everyday, Damon shows up at the ice rink to work with Elena and almost everyday they butt heads. The way he figures, it's better if she continues to see him as an arrogant SOB. If she were to see the new and improved Damon, the contrite Damon, he doesn't know if he'd be able to live up to her expectations. And the last thing he wants to do is fall off the wagon again. It's a brisk and breezy overcast day as he walks the solemn path of worn grass to his father's grave. For once he has a day off because Elena's aunt is having a baby. Dropping onto the ground, he picks at the blades of grass, pulling up a few stocks of clover and tossing them into the air for no reason whatsoever. After staring at the inscription in the stone, he runs his fingertips along the engraving. Closing his eyes, he wishes his dad was here now that he needs him so much. It was a day much like today when he dropped dead right in front of Damon after suffering a massive heart attack.

Having learned CPR in health class at school, Damon tried so hard but in the end, it made no difference at all. His dad was dead before he even hit the ground. Looking to his left, he feels his own heart catch when he sees his mom's name carved in the stone too. He has no memory of her at all. She died just as suddenly as his dad only she succumbed to a pulmonary embolism when Damon was just a few weeks old. Lilly is the only mother he's ever known, he doesn't even remember a time when he didn't have her. And he also knows that she couldn't be more of a mom to him if they did share the same blood. Hearing footsteps, he looks up, smiling when that's who he sees.

"I don't know why but I had a feeling that you might be here."

"I miss him, mom."

"I know you do, Damon," Lilly says, taking a seat beside him in the grass. When he drops his eyes, she lifts his chin with her fingertips, forcing him to look at her. "You father would be very proud of you, Damon. You've really turned your whole life around."

"Would he? I sure made a mess of things for awhile."

"You did but what's important is that you learned from it and found the strength from within to put yourself back together... I'm very proud of you too, Damon. I love you very, very much. You're my son in every way that counts."

"I love you too, mom," he adds, embracing her in a hug. After holding each other for several minutes, they both stand up and walk out of the cemetery, mother and son, hand in hand.

* * *

After another long day of arguing with Elena and working his ass off, he finds himself at The Grill. After calling his mom to tell her where he was headed, he parks his car and walks inside. As soon as he's through the door, he smiles when he sees his good friend and sobriety partner, Brady sitting in one of the booths. With a nod of his head, he stops at the bar to get a coke. Once the waitress hands him the glass, he heads over to sit down by his friends.

"Damon, it's good to see you. How is everything?"

"Will it ever get easier?" Damon asks, clutching his drink, his stare fixed on the carbonated bubbles as they dance inside the glass.

"Everyday is a struggle for me too and I've been clean for a lot longer than you have. But there's a part of me that's afraid for it to get easier."

"Why is that?" Damon asks, meeting his gaze.

"Because if it gets easier, I'm afraid that it might be easier to fall off of the wagon too. I don't want to be that person again," Brady adds, taking a long pull from his ginger ale.

"I never thought about it that way." Blowing out a breath, Damon takes a drink from his own glass, licking his lip when he puts it down.

"So, you're skating again?"

"I am and aside from my partner and I wanting to throttle each other every single moment we're on the ice, it feels good," he says, stopping suddenly when he hears her voice. And as if having a sixth sense, Elena's eyes meet his from across the room. Keeping up the asshole façade, he raises his glass, pretending to toast her. When he sees her roll her eyes, he can't help but laugh.

"That's the one, your partner?"

"Yep, Elena Gilbert, ice princess," Damon adds, under his breath. Finishing off his drink, he gets up to get them a refill. As he walks back to his booth, he notices her eyes focused firmly on the drinks in his hands. Knowing without doubt that she thinks he drinking again, he feels his stomach twist uncomfortably but who is he to dissuade her from that notion. Sliding back into the booth, he gives Brady his glass and then takes another long swig form his own, their eyes meeting once more from across a crowded room.

* * *

"Damn it, Damon. Why can't you ever get it right?" Elena sneers when he's just a millisecond late to lift her, interrupting her flow as they work through their routine for the millionth time already today.

"Why do always assume that it's my fault? Jesus H Christ, Elena, it's you that was behind in the count, not me," he snaps back, glaring at her with a scathing intensity. Feeling his heart pound in his throat, he grits his teeth, not backing down at all.

"Me? You're accusing me of being off? If you weren't hitting the bottle again, maybe you'd get your act together?"

"Just what exactly are you accusing me of?" Damon sneers, but steps back ever so slightly to put a little distance between them.

Having seen and heard enough, Liz skates over and steps in between the two of them once again. "Enough," she barks out, having had more than enough of their childish bickering.

"He's drinking again, Liz. I saw it with my own eyes...," Elena blurts out, "And don't even try to deny it."

Turning to face him, Liz asks, "Is that true?"

"You've already made up your mind. I'm done here." Shaking his head, Damon skates off of the ice. Dropping onto the bench, he exchanges his skates for his shoes so he can make his getaway. Raking a hand through his sweaty hair. Not bothering to pay attention to the drama going on between Liz and Elena, he gets up to leave.

* * *

"What did you see Elena?" Liz asks, blowing out a breath of air in frustration.

"I saw him drinking at the Grill with another guy."

"How do you know that it was alcohol that he was drinking?"

"It was brown and he was actually smiling. I've never seen him genuinely smile before so I figure it was the alcohol relaxing his inhibitions."

"You're not giving me anything concrete here, Elena. You made an assumption based on the color of his drink and the fact that he was smiling? No wonder he's angry with you." Liz adds, raising her eyebrows.

"Of course, I should've known that you'd take his side."

"Both of you are acting like children. You're never going to get anywhere unless you two can learn to trust each other. You're very good together but you could be great if you'd get past your prejudices. It stops today."

"But Liz!?" she starts to say, shutting up when Liz interrupts. "It stops today, Elena. Now I'm going to go to try to talk him out of leaving. You would do well to apologize to him."

"I'll do no such thing," Elena retorts indignantly.

Rolling her eyes, Liz spins and skates away from her and towards him. Fisting her hands at her sides, Elena is livid as she watches her coach approach Damon. Sucking in a deep shuddering breath, she turns her back to them and starts to skate, stopping when she sees Rebekah skating towards her. Stopping when she's in front of her, Rebekah smiles, casually mentioning, "Damon gets away with everything. That is till he butted heads with my dad."

When her curiosity gets the best of her, Elena asks, "Aside from here, did he do something to hurt you?"

Pretending to cry, Rebekah, sniffs and wipes her eyes. "Yes he did. I thought that I meant something to him..., I mean more so than just his partner. But all he wanted was to be inside of me, if you get my drift," she adds, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I didn't need to know that, Rebekah." Brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear, she turns around, her temper spiking when she sees Liz and Damon.

"Don't say I didn't warn you," Rebekah adds, her pouty lips quirked into a smile as she skates off and proceeds to land a triple toe loop followed immediately by a triple axel. Rolling her eyes, Elena, tries to take them off of her mind but when her eyes meet his from across the rink, her fuse lights all over again.

* * *

When Liz reaches him, she says, "Damon, please don't do this."

"Why the hell should I put up with her attitude day in and day out. And for your information, I was drinking just plain Coke," he snaps, pulling his arm free.

"Damon, stop, please."

Shaking his head, he stops but doesn't turn to face her. It's only when she steps in front of him does he look at her again. "I know that you're not drinking again, Damon. First of all, I've been with you every day. I would have noticed. Second, your mother would have said something to me."

With his lips closed tightly, Damon runs his tongue along them. Shaking his head back and forth, he happens to notice Elena approaching them. "Tell her that," he spits out angrily.

Despite Liz's admonition, Elena won't back down either. "Tell me what?"

"I was drinking Coke, just plain Coke, no rum, no alcohol of any kind. And for your information, the guy I was with is my sobriety partner, miss goody two shoes. I'm leaving, I may or may not be back tomorrow," Damon says to Liz. After giving Elena one last hardened stare, he throws his skates over his shoulder before jogging out of the building and away from her.

* * *

Frustrated beyond comprehension after fighting with her yet again, Damon wants nothing more than to have a drink or pop an oxy into his mouth. But then he looks at the picture of himself and his dad taken just hours before his fatal heart attack, he closes his eyes and breathes deeply, trying to will the feeling to pass. Full of nervous energy, he grabs his car keys. On his way out, he stops in the kitchen to grab a bottle of water. Just as he's about to leave the house, his mom walks in, carrying an armful of groceries. Setting the bottle on the countertop, he takes the bag from her arms and sets it on the kitchen table. After helping her put everything away, he tells her he's going for a ride and will be back a little later. He pauses long enough to press a kiss to her cheek then takes off, jumping into his car, he guns the engine and disappears down the block.

Finding himself at Falls Park, he stops the car and gets out. Pocketing his keys, he walks along the path till he reaches the falls. Loving the smell of the fresh air and the clear water, he walks out onto the rocks and sits down to watch the sunset. When the darkness begins to set in, he sighs but gets up to go. The last thing he needs is a slip or misstep and end up with a busted ankle too. Sliding into his car, he drops his forehead against the steering wheel. Not yet ready to go home, he decides to go back to the Grill to play some pool. Shifting into gear, he rolls down the window and drives. Hitting every stoplight on his way over, he's frustrated and on edge by the time he reaches the place. Pulling into a parking spot, he jumps out, locks his car and stomps into the building and directly to the bar.

Seeing no one around, he slams back a couple of glasses full of Mt. Dew and then leaves the place, feeling a little buzz from the caffeine. Glancing at the dashboard clock, he relaxes his posture and drives home to help his mom with supper.

* * *

Walking into the arena, Brady takes a seat in one of the rows of bleachers to watch his friend skate. He's never seen Damon on the ice before, he thought he'd like to see what the hype is about. Since he has a rare weekday off, he drove over here. Feeling his phone vibrate, he pulls it out of his pocket, texting a reply before turning it off. When he looks up again, he sees his friend and the girl walk onto the ice. As soon as the music starts, Damon and his partner begin to skate. Brady is impressed by the skill and tenacity it must take when Damon picks her up, raising her above his head as he spins on the ice. From Brady's point of view, it all goes well until suddenly a flurry of colorful metaphors leave Damon's mouth followed by the girl staring at him open mouthed. And by the looks of it, he can see that she's genuinely flustered by his attitude. Before he can blink, he hears Damon call her a diva and flash the middle finger at her before launching into a tirade.

"You always , always think the worst of me. Why didn't you just ask me once before you start throwing accusations at me?"

"Because you won't give me two seconds of your time. We do our routine and before I can say two words, you're walking through the door."

"What's there to talk about? You hate me and nothing I can do or say is going to change that," he adds, his heart pounding hard and fast against his chest.

"I don't hate you, Damon. But I do resent the fact that everyone is bending over backwards to mollycoddle you. I know all too well what it feels like to lose a parent Damon but I didn't turn to drugs and alcohol to drown in self pity with. After they died, I was ready to give this all up too but I knew they wouldn't want that so I sucked it up and got back on the ice. You act like you're the only person in the world to have bad things happen to him."

"You know nothing about my life," he retorts. After releasing the breath he was holding, he drops his chin to his chest for a few moments. Tired of fighting with him, Elena shakes her head and skates off. Too frustrated to continue practice, she grabs her things and leaves the arena.

Having seen Damon at his worst when he was detoxing, it still surprises him that Damon would be so hard on the girl. As soon as he sees her mouth drop open when Damon turns his back to her, skate off of the ice, Brady pockets his phone and trots down the steps, reaching Damon just as his friend is plopping down on the bench. Taking a seat beside him, Damon looks stunned to see the guy.

"Brady, what are you doing here?"

"I came to watch. What happened out there?"

"I don't know. She makes me crazy," Damon adds, raking his hands through his sweat dampened hair.

"From my vantage point, it didn't look like she did anything wrong. Why did you blow up at her?"

"I told you that she drives me insane and I can't stand to be with her and I can't stand not to be with her. I'm a damn train wreck," he blurts out, feeling completely discombobulated.

An abrupt laugh leaves Brady's lips. "You like her?"

"Hell, there's no point in lying, especially not to you," he mumbles, wiping his brow with his forearm as the realization dawns on him.

"Damon?"

"Alright, Brady. Yes, I like her but that's not the point.. I don't stand a chance, she hates me," he admits, shaking his head back and forth with resignation.

"Having witnessed your little hissy fit, can you really blame her?"

"Yes and no. She was at the Grill that night, saw us and just assumed I was drinking again. She didn't even ask, she just jumped to conclusions."

"Why don't you just sit her down and then the two of you can have a heart to heart and iron out your difficulties. Maybe then you can tell her how you feel about her. She might want your relationship to be strictly professional but then again she might not. You won't know unless you talk to her."

"I don't know Brady. I really don't want to get kicked in the gut again and especially not by her."

"So you sabotage it before it even has a chance to get off the ground?"

"Something like that," Damon admits, raking his hand through his hair in frustration.

"Well, as your friend, I think you should talk to her. _But_ , I also think you need to listen and really hear what she may have to say. You two are never going to get anywhere in the skating world if you keep going at each other like cats and dogs."

Taking a deep breath, Damon nods his head. "I know you're right but it's easier said than done."

"Come on, Damon, you've accomplished so much already. And doesn't she deserve a partner who is honest with her?" Brady asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Fine, I'll see if I can track her down. If I can't, I'll call you later so you can talk me back from the ledge."

"It won't get that far and you know it. You're stronger than that."

Standing up, Damon sucks in a breath and follows his friend up the stairs. After grabbing his things, he walks out of the ice rink and over to his car. Hearing a car horn, he looks around, waving back at Brady as he exits the parking lot. Knowing that his friend is right about Elena, he jumps behind the wheel. Pausing only to call Liz and ask for Elena's address and before he can talk himself out of it, he pulls onto the street and takes the right turn that leads to her place.

* * *

When he reaches the address that Liz gave him, he pulls alongside the curb and puts the car into park but doesn't shut off the engine just yet. Dropping his head back, he feels his heart pounding and his belly churning so much so that he can taste the bile burning the back of his throat. His mind is a flurry of chaotic emotions. The devil on his shoulder is telling him to take a beat while the angel on the other is telling him to grow a spine. When he hears a rap on his car window, he startles when he sees that it's her. Turning off the engine, he motions for her to step back and when she does, he opens the car door. Stepping out, he pushes it shut and leans against it.

"I'm sure you're wondering why I'm here?"

"You could say that."

"Can we take a walk or something?"

"Is this going to lead to another fight, Damon, because frankly, I can't do it anymore? Either we find some common ground or we end this partnership right now."

"Believe it or not, I didn't come here to fight, Elena. I came to talk. Please?"

After staring at him for several moments, she finally nods, using her hand to gesture for him to walk along with her. "There's a park just down the block. We can talk there if you want."

"Sure," he agrees, walking alongside of her. When they reach the park, he points to a picnic table under a big Oak tree. As soon as they get reach it, she sits down. Looking around, Damon sees a Starbucks across the street. "I'm going to run over there to get something to drink. Why don't you come along, we'll talk after that."

"Do you want me to wait here? Save this spot?"

"If you want. Um, what do you want to drink?"

"One of the hibiscus refreshers. It's my favorite."

"I'll be back in a little bit."

Wondering what on earth is going on with him, Elena texts her aunt where she is. Laying her phone down, she smiles when she sees a group of little kids jumping roping. Before she knows it, he sets a glass down in front of her and then takes the seat across from her. Picking it up, Elena takes a sip form the straw and then thanks him, a rare smile forming on her face.

"See now, I like that," Damon teases, smiling genuinely himself for the first time.

"Why did you ask me here, Damon?"

"First I wanted to apologize for being an ass. And second, I like you. I know I've given you every reason to find that hard to believe but it's true. I want us to be able to trust each other and work together without every damn session breaking down into a flurry of angry words and hurt feelings."

"Believe it or not, I like you too but you're right, we can't keep up like this. What happened to you? I mean, if you don't mind telling me?"

"The fame, the adulation, I had it all and it was okay but then... my dad dropped dead in front of me. He was my idol, Elena. He and I were as close as two people could be and when he left, he took a part of me with him. I know CPR, I tried to save him. I even fractured some of his ribs doing compressions. I could feel it and I still remember the sound, I have nightmares to this day," he confesses, dropping his eyes for a moment before continuing, "I failed him and to cope, to run away, to hide, I started to drink and take pills. It was easier than facing the fact that I didn't save him."

"Do you really believe that? I mean, it sounds like you did everything you could have done."

"I know, my mom told me that and so did his doctors but in the end, he was still dead. Lilly, my mom, she isn't really my mom. I mean, she is my mom, she adopted me when I was an infant... my real mom died when I was about six weeks old. I have no recollection of her at all. I only have pictures that my dad gave me. Don't get me wrong, I love Lilly, she's my mom and I don't honestly believe that I could love her anymore if she had given birth to me but we have different DNA."

"You're lucky to have her."

"I am, I really am. She was and is my rock and my anchor and without her tough love as they say, I might be laying under that stone in the cemetery myself." Pausing a moment, his mind drifts back to that life shattering experience. _Seeing_ his dad again and the look on his face.. and his mother arriving almost too late and then struggling with the phone to call the ambulance. Swallowing past the familiar lump in his throat, he asks, "What about you, I mean you mentioned that your parents were gone too?"

"Car accident. I was in the wreck with them but I'm still here. Have you heard the term survivor's guilt?" When Damon nods, she adds, "Well, it's a bitch. For a long time I wished that I had died with them but then my brother laid into me. He told me how selfish it was that I would want to leave him to face the world alone. I had never seen Jeremy cry, not even at the funeral but I saw his tears then and that's when I decided to take my life back."

"You've done a spectacular job of it from what I can see. I sunk to my lowest but you excelled. I'm sure your parents would be very proud of the girl you are today."

"I'd like to think so..," she says, her voice trailing away. Noticing her looking everywhere but at him and that her hands are gripped tightly together, it's obvious that she's thinking about something rather discomforting. Sensing what it probably is, he lays a hand atop hers, squeezing gently. Sucking in a deep fortifying breath, he struggles to find the words finally saying, "Elena, I'm not that arrogant little prick that you saw me as around her. Yes, we did sleep together a couple of times... but it's not that I broke her heart or that she broke mine. We were reckless and bored, it was just a stupid way to blow off the stress of the day. When I refused to play her little games, she got angry and vindictive. That's all it was, you have my word."

Looking a little out of breath from his vantage point, he relaxes a little on the inside when their eyes meet again. "I believe you, Damon." Elena surprises him when she leans forward and in towards him. After dropping a kiss to each side of his mouth, she presses her lips flush against his. Wanting and needing more, he cradles her face and teases the seam of her mouth with his tongue. When she parts her lips, he thrusts it inside to explore the warm cavern of her mouth. Needing air, they break apart, both of their hearts beating like kettle drums as they stare at each other. Touching his mouth with his fingertips, Damon smiles, absolutely in awe of the feelings that are erupting inside of him. Not wanting to waste even a moment, Damon moves around to her side of the picnic table and drops his mouth to hers once more in a kiss so intense that it makes her toes curl and sears his insides.

"Ouch," Damon yelps, pulling away suddenly when something hits him on the back of the head. Looking around, he sees that it's a ball. When Damon sees the little boy looking scared, he picks up the ball and walks it over to him. Telling him to run back, Damon launches the football at him and the little boy takes off after it. Standing up, Elena approaches him. And when she's close enough, he wraps her in his arms, presses a kiss to the top of her head and holds on tight just to breathe her in.

* * *

Feeling the excitement of the crowd, Damon holds Elena's hand as they wait to take their turn on the ice for the long program at the US Olympic trials. After their talk in the park that day, it was like a weight was lifted off of Damon's shoulders. Between her, his mom and Liz, Damon was able to plow through everything that was holding him back. And with truth came trust and with trust came excellence when they were on the ice.

When the MC announces their name, Damon and Elena skate onto the ice and take their positions. As soon as their music starts, Michael Crawford singing "The Music of the Night", they begin to pick up speed, opening their routine with their first big move, a quad twist, their timing perfect. Damon launches Elena into the air, catching her when she comes down. From there, they glide across the ice speeding up and hitting their triple toe, double toe combination. Landing it perfectly, Damon is feeling really good about their routine. Skating across the ice with their arms spread, they do matching triple Lutz's, nailing it with perfect synchronization between the two of them.

Continuing, Damon picks her up and throws Elena over his back in an acrobatic move, helping her down, a triple toe loop following immediately after. With precise synchronicity, they move into position and make a side by side triple saucow. Feeling like his heart is going to beat out of his chest with overwhelming joy, he chances a quick look at Elena. The sight of her beaming smile is proof that she's feeling the magic of the moment too. The crowd erupts in applause, adrenaline burning through his veins like fire. With the cheering crowd spurring them on, they complete their routine with a beautifully executed death spiral. As soon as the music stops, they embrace, Damon kissing the top of her head. With wide smiles on both of their faces, they exit the ice to take their places beside Liz in the box to wait for their scores.

When the numbers flash across the screen, moving them into first place, the audience stands. Their applause soon reaches a deafening roar. At Liz's urging, Damon takes Elena's hand and together they walk out to take another bow. Not caring who sees, Damon wraps her in his arms and kisses her as if his life depended on it. When they break apart, the crowd is cheering, "More, more, more." Smiling as widely as he can, Damon drops a peck to her lips and leads her back off of the ice where they have to wait for the other competitors to take their turns. Looking up in the stands, Damon nods when he sees his mother, his biggest fan and anchor making her way down the stairs towards him. Unable to wait, he lets go of Elena's hand, jogging up the steps to meet her. After a long embrace, he takes her by the hand and brings her down to set next to him and Elena. Taking a breath, he watches the next pair, their friends Trevor and Rose who hail from Chicago. Going into a difficult jump, Rose misses her landing and falls on her backside.

"That's too bad," Elena whispers, burrowing into his side.

"Yeah, it is. I want to win but I want to win with them at their best," Damon agrees, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and pulling her in closer. When they finish their program and as the scores are flashed on the screen, Liz gives her leg a squeeze when they realize that Damon and Elena win first place in the Olympic trials, guaranteeing their place on Team USA.

Taking their place on the podium, the judge loops the gold medals around their necks, the silver medals on a couple that they don't know, Enzo and Bonnie. Trevor and Rose take the bronze, having been penalized for the fall. When the National Anthem starts to play, they cross their hearts and sing along till it's done.

As the last note is played, Damon, unable to get enough of her, gives her a big beefy kiss much to the delight of the assembled crowd. As soon as they're off the podium Elena surprises him when she leaps into his arms. With her legs wrapped around his middle and her arms around his neck, she kisses him hard and with the intensity of an F5 tornado. When they pull apart, Damon thinks he sees forever flashing in front of his eyes. His heart is so full of love for this one girl and as long as he has that, he knows he'll never stumble again.

* * *

 _Huge thanks to Eva for donating so much of her time and energy to me and these stories. Love you very much._

 _Big thanks to you all as well. I wouldn't be here without you all._

 _Story title: 'Burnt Ice' by Megadeth._

 _All of my in progress stories will be completed. I've just been on a one shot frenzy for whatever reason. Eva and I are working out the details for one with a WW2 setting. I did post the final chapter of SOLS yesterday. We're at the half way point in both Flames and ICEM. Roses is a short story too and will update before the week is over._

 _Please click the review button. Thank you all so much. Be safe and have a wonderful day._


	2. Five Rings

_Elena and Damon are waiting to take their turn on the rink. They're holding hands as they watch the couple before them go through their routine. Elena is nervous, her knee is bouncing up and down, the blade of her skate making a clicking sound with each tap. Damon gently lays his other hand on top of it. She looks up at him, nodding her head slightly when she sees his smile. He leans over just enough to brush his lips across hers. Her palms are clammy and although he looks like he hasn't a care in the world, she's certain that Damon isn't immune to pressure of performing in front of the world. It's the culmination of their dreams._

 _It's still hard to believe that they're here and about to perform at the Olympics. She notices when he looks over his shoulder, his gaze meeting his mom's. She squeezes his hand, knowing how much Lily means to him. Elena is shaken from her reverie by applause for the pair leaving the ice. Liz stands up and whispers words of encouragement to them. Her daughter Caroline is in the stands next to Damon's mother._

 _Elena swallows thickly when their names are announced. Together she and Damon stand up, still holding hands, they walk out onto the ice. Figure skating is one of the more popular Olympic sports so the arena is full of people from all over the world. The lights are bright, the ice is smooth. When they reach the center of the rink, they wait for their music to start. And then the first notes of Pachelbel's Canon start to play, Elena and Damon start their program. It looks and feels so natural, it's like she was born to be on the ice. She and Damon move fluidly across the rink, hooking up for their first jump, a triple Salchow, triple toe loop. They land it perfectly to the applause of the crowd. There isn't even one jerky movement, Elena balances herself so easily._

 _She pushes herself harder and glides on her skates. Her left leg is slightly bent and her right is stretched out behind. Then she kicks her right leg up in front of her so the right knee goes up in the air. She rolls down the ice on the outside edge. She smiles widely at Damon, his moves a carbon copy her own. They jump high in the air. When she lands she looks like an angel, she spins around, keeping her right foot straight and body free. She turns in a counter-clockwise direction, holding her chest out, head back and left knee in the air._

 _And then they get into position for their final move, Elena starts working up speed but when she leaps a little too soon and her legs fly out from under her, she lands on her butt in front of everyone in the arena. The oohs and ahs and sad faces fill the arena, drowning out their music. Always the professional, Elena quickly stands up and they finish their routine with no other blemishes but the damage is done. As soon as they walk off the ice, her tears fall. Damon takes her in his arms, she buries her face against his chest._

Lurching upright in a cold sweat, Elena's chest is heaving as she struggles to catch her breath. Having felt her thrashing around, Damon rolls over and places his hand on her arm. "Everything alright?"

"Dream, bad dream," she gasps breathily.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Damon sits up, pulls her against his chest and drops a kiss to the crown of her head.

"We were doing our routine at the Olympics... I fell on my ass on our final jump. I humiliated us, Damon."

"Elena, it was a dream. And even if one of us does fall, we'll have done our best. We will walk off the ice with our heads held high."

Swallowing thickly, she nods,"You're right. I love you."

"I love you too," he whispers against the soft skin behind her ear. Fully awake and more than aroused, he starts blazing a trail of heat down her neck, his tongue slides slowly along the curve of her breast. She clutches at his shoulders when he eases her back against the bed. Elena focuses on his face as he crawls over her. Her heart bursts at all the love and desire she recognizes in his eyes, it matches her own. Damon brushes her hair from her face and presses his lips to her bare shoulder.

She closes her eyes as he begins a leisurely exploration of her upper body with his lips. When they were still brand new, she remembers how she would always tell him just to shut up and kiss her. When he uses his tongue on her body, though, it makes her feel boneless, he is that good. She realizes that it's always been this way between them, even as he swirls his tongue along the underside of her breast. He's sinfully good at knowing exactly how she wants to be touched.

She runs her fingers through his messy hair, holding him to her for dear life. When he starts to kiss his way down her stomach, lazy and unhurried, her hips surge toward him, as impatient as the rest of her. But Damon is busy, taking his time with her pajama shorts, tugging them down inch by agonizing inch. He watches her the entire time, his lips curved in a sly smile. He knows exactly what he's doing.

"I thought you were in a hurry," she pants, squirming against the mattress.

Even in the dark she can see him wink at her.

"You're just being a tease," she pouts. Shifting up against the pillow, she kicks her bottoms off herself, not caring where they fall and rises to her knees.

At the foot of the bed, Damon eyes her with amusement. "I'm being a tease?" he asks, feigning innocence with that eye thing he does.

"Yes, you are."

He cups her breast then, rubbing his thumb against her nipple so faintly that she can barely feel it.

"I would never," he adds with a quirk of his brow. His amused little expression falls instantly, and she can only laugh at the sober, serious look he shoots her. His touch becomes firmer, and she feels every nerve ding in her body. She slips her fingers beneath his boxer briefs. Her hand closes around him, he's hot and hard and silky against her fingers. As she works him, he throws his head back, eyes slipping shut as he groans.

"Oh, you're right," he moans. "This is so much better than teasing."

She laughs, moving her palm over him a few times before pulling her hand away. He tries to protest but she maneuvers him so he lies back against the pillows and she can finish pulling his boxers down and off of his legs. She glances down at his lap, where his erection juts up proudly. Elena raises a knowing eyebrow.

He laughs, but shakes his head, reaching out to cup her cheek. "You make me happy, happier than I ever imagined."

She smiles, flushing with joy herself. "Sweet talk will get you everywhere."

"There's really only one place I want to get right now."

He scans her body eagerly and she knows that neither of them can wait any longer. She crawls over him, straddling his thighs, and kisses him once more. He's hers and she can do this whenever she wants but she doesn't think she'll ever stop feeling the rightness of his mouth on hers. His lips skip down her cheek, over her jaw and throat until she's sighing breathlessly. He cups her shoulders then, holding her firmly, and presses kisses across her chest and down over her breasts. Her back arches, her head lolls back. It's as if she's freefalling through the air, nothing keeping her bound to earth, no gravity, nothing at all.

He eases her upright again, and she doesn't waste any time tasting the warm sweet skin of his neck and shoulders. There may be a bruise there in the morning, one the shape of her mouth, but that's all right. _He is hers_. Damon's hand finds its way between her thighs, stroking her tender skin, so close to where she wants him to be, and she loses all focus. Her hips move to his rhythm, slow and deep and she sees white heat and bright stars.

Elena wants him on top. She wants to feel his weight on her, feel him pressing her to the mattress so she can wrap herself around him. So she pulls him down over her, cradling him between her raised knees. It barely takes a heartbeat for him to slide inside her. She has to bite down on her lower lip to keep from crying out. He's so hot and full inside her. Damon doesn't fare as well , he lets out a quiet whimper. He starts moving slowly and deliberately. It feels amazing, so deep that she swears she can feel every inch of him burning inside her body.

"Damon," she urges breathlessly. "Faster. Please?"

She grabs at his hips to coax him forward and whatever shred of self-control he's been clinging to snaps and then he's driving in and out of her like his life depends on it. Elena moves with him, savoring every pull and thrust. She feels pleasure starting to rise and she forces herself to open her eyes so she can see him, to look at his lovely face. Somehow Damon manages to open his too, their gazes locking in wonder at what is burning hot between them. She braces herself, clutching his shoulders, and cries out in ecstasy.

Damon holds himself still through the whole thing, trying to wait her out, but she'll have none of it. She tightens her muscles around him and then he's practically sobbing against her shoulder and she hugs him to her as he rides out the final waves. Several moments pass before he rolls off of her and flings an arm over his face. Neither of them can seem to catch their breath, and when their eyes meet once again, they both slowly bring their mouths together in a precious kiss.

* * *

Damon and Elena walk hand in hand into their training rink, Liz is already there working with some of her younger pupils.

On the other side of the rink Mikael Mikaelson is watching his granddaughter. Elena looks up just as Hope completes a beautiful lay back spin. Rebekah is still the bane of her existence but she's been surprisingly quiet recently. When they reach the bottom step, they sit down to put on their skates so they can start working on their routine. Damon has his on first so he skates onto the ice. Elena watches for a few seconds, her belly is queasy and upset. She can't seem to shake off this gnawing feeling she has.

"You okay?" Liz takes the seat beside her, tilting her head just slightly. She knows Elena so well and can easily pick up on her moods. Coach Forbes has known her since she was still in diapers.

"I'm fine, Liz. Just a little tired."

"Okay... if you change your mind, you know I'm always here for you."

"I know," she adds, nodding. When she looks up, Damon is in his element, making wide loops, picking up speed and he jumps, landing it perfectly. He's such a natural on the ice, it's as if he was born with skates on. Elena has had to work her ass off to get where she is but doesn't have any regrets other than the fact that her parents won't be there to see her performing at the Olympics.

She finishes tying her skates and the glides on the ice herself. Although it feels like butterflies are square dancing in her belly, there is not one jerky movement as her skates move fluidly, balancing herself with ease. She holds her arms out at just blow shoulder level, her head forward and her knees bent slightly as she goes into her first jump.

Damon approaches her and takes her hand and they start moving as a team, gracefully across the ice. It's almost as if they're flying. Sometimes Damon feels so free when he's at a rink, all by himself. Sometimes he'll pull his mom out on the ice with him and just tease her, dancing around easily with her. She's very tentative on the ice but she will get on it occasionally for him.

Separately Damon and Elena each bend their left leg, stretching out their right arms. They kick their right legs up so their knees go into the air and then they spin, landing another perfect jump. Then they split, Elena glides backwards and jumps high in the air, looking like angel when she lands. Keeping on her left foot straight and her body free, she spins around in a counter clockwise direction, her chest out, her head and her right knee in the air. Her lay backs are so beautiful, Damon thinks, watching her before he skates towards her.

Damon stretches a little bit and then starts to move again. Using his arms, he starts to pick up speed, he goes into his jump but doesn't get enough of push off the ice, he lands on his ass, immediately grabbing at his leg when intense pain starts to shoot into his groin. Gingerly he gets up to try to shake it off. Glancing around, he sees the concerned look on both Liz and Elena's faces. Having been unable to shake the feeling of dread since her nightmare, Elena feels like she's going to puke. Her heart is pounding when she watches him get up, only to fall down before he even has both legs under him.

Not wanting to worry them, Damon grimaces and starts to move around to build up some speed. When he tries another jump, the pain is too much and he crashes a second time and then a third before Liz demands he gets off of the ice. Seeing him limp, she walks out there to help him while Elena skates over, fear and concern written all over face.

"Damon?"

"I'll be fine, I just pulled a muscle."

"But Damon, you couldn't hold your jump."

"Elena, stop. I'm fine. Just keep practicing."

"Liz?"

"Elena, relax. I'm going to take him to see Dr. Fell."

"Damon, please, I want to go with you."

He tries to hide his pain as he looks at her but she knows him inside and out by now. Beads of sweat form on his forehead and he feels bile begin to burn in his throat as his belly churns chaotically. His leg hurts but he takes a deep breath to try sublimate it.

Before he can say anything, Liz interrupts, "Elena, put your shoes on, you can come. You look a little green yourself."

She nods vigorously and then quickly skates to the edge of the rink to slip her Converse on. Once Liz has Damon to the bleachers, he sits down, his face screwing up when she helps him remove his skates. As soon as his shoes are on, he stands up, putting one arm around Elena's shoulders and the other arm around Liz. Together they get him outside and into their car.

"I'll be right behind you," Liz tells Elena then pushes the driver's door shut. Elena quickly shifts into gear and speeds out of the parking lot. Damon's eyes grow wide as saucers when he leans over far enough to see the speedometer.

"Elena, slow down before you get us both killed."

"I'm sorry." She brakes gently till she's hovering at the speed limit. Damon can see tears in her eyes which makes him feel about like the lowest form of life on earth.

"Fuck," he utters. Resting his head against the window, he's sick to his stomach that he may have cost them a shot at an Olympic medal. He closes his eyes hoping to keep himself from throwing up.

* * *

Elena is pacing back and forth in the exam room, occasionally clutching her belly. Damon is laying on the table with his forearm over his eyes. He raises it from time to time to look at her. he wouldn't need to, hell, he can hear the sound of her shoes going back and forth repeatedly.

"Can you please sit down, Elena. You're making me crazy."

"I'm making you crazy!? Do you have any idea how serious this is?"

"Do you think I don't? Contrary to popular belief, I'm not a blithering idiot."

"I never said that. But we've worked and sacrificed our whole life and now this," she blurts out, turning away from him to wipe her eyes.

"Thanks for making me feel like shit, Elena. You act like I intentionally did this."

"I said nothing of the sort."

"You didn't have to," he adds, covering his face again. Before Elena can respond, Dr. Fell and Liz walk in to the room. Damon raises his head to look at his coach and the doctor.

"You have a grade 2 groin pull, Damon. What I want you to do is apply ice for fifteen to twenty minutes every two hours for the first couple of days. You'll be on crutches for the next several days too which if it isn't obvious, no skating for at least the next seven to ten days. I'm going to get you a compression support that you'll have to wear for the first five days to reduce the swelling. If your pain is better, you can begin some flexibility exercises in a few days."

"Seriously?" Damon mumbles, flopping back on the table, shaking his head in frustration.

"Deadly," Meredith confirms. When you're laying on the couch or in bed, you need to elevate it on at least two pillows. I'm also going to prescribe some anti-inflammatory medication for you along with a muscle relaxant. Take as directed okay?"

"I don't like to take pills. I'm a recovering addict."

"These aren't narcotics, Damon, they're like Advil or Aleve, it's just prescription strength."

"You're sure? I have too much to lose, I can't go down that road again," he admits, his eyes glancing at Elena's for a moment.

"I'm sure. I'm going to get that compression support and then you'll be free to go. I want to see you again next week." She leaves the room, only to return in a few minutes with the support. After Damon slips it on, the nurse gets him a wheelchair along with a prescription for crutches and his medication.

"Damon, I will stop by tomorrow. You do exactly as Meredith said, am I being clear enough for you?" Liz asks, raising an eyebrow at him.

"I'll behave," he mumbles dejectedly. With Liz and Elena walking behind, the nurse pushes him out to the car in the wheelchair.

Rather than go to the store right away, Elena opts to take him home first. Lily is already there when Elena pulls into the driveway. She helps Elena get him into the house and on the couch with his leg elevated. After giving Damon a kiss, Elena leaves to pick up his crutches and medications.

She knows he's still upset with her but she just knew that something was going to happen. Shaking her head, she's upset with herself for making him feel bad, it wasn't her intention but with the Olympics nearing she's a bundle of nerves, swerving from enthusiastic and optimistic to pessimism and even dread.

It's just performance anxiety, she's sure that's all it is. She and Damon completed at world's early this year, winning the silver medal for the USA but it's the Olympic gold medal that everyone covets. That's been her goal since she put on her first pair of ice skates. He has to be ready for the games, he just has to. As soon as she finds a parking spot, she gets out of the car and runs inside the drug store to hand them the scripts.

The pharmacist tells her they're busy today and it'll be at least an hour. "Of course it will," she mumbles under her breath. It's already been a horrid day, why not add another to the long list of things that have gone wrong. Since there's nothing she can do about it, she walks outside and goes across the street to the coffee shop to hurry up and wait.

* * *

Elena pulls her hair up into a messy bun. Things have been tense between her and Damon, she hates it but he insists on going to the rink with her everyday, even though he's supposed to be resting. He sits on the bleacher with his leg up, encouraging her which she both loves and hates. After finishing her triple - double combination, she looks just in time to see Damon hobble onto the ice. Blowing out a frustrated puff of air, she skates over to him.

"Damon, please don't take any chances. If you fall again, you may permanently injure yourself. Please?"

He drops his chin to his chest so she won't see him roll his eyes. He's feeling frustrated, guilty and inadequate. In his heart, he knows that she's only trying to help but she's driving him insane with her hovering.

"Because if I fall again, you won't get your precious medal," he snaps, guilt immediately roiling in his belly.

"That's not all of it and you know it. Yes, I want that medal, we've trained our entire lives for this one moment. I don't want to miss it but I don't want you to hurt yourself anymore. Please sit back down."

Having heard and seen everything, Liz urges Damon back to the bleachers. She looks over her shoulder to see Elena practicing hard but she can also see her red eyes. As soon as Damon sits down, Liz sits down beside him.

"Talk to me, what's going on with you two? Are you having relationship problems?"

"She's blaming me for falling. It was just one of those freak things, Liz," he spits out, discreetly looking at his girlfriend who's working out harder than usual. Damon nods his head so Liz can see her too.

"Maybe you two need to take a time out?"

"I love her, Liz."

"I know you love her, she loves you but if you want whatever you two have to last, I think you should give each other a little space," she adds, her voice trailing off when she sees Elena land on her butt. Having seen enough, Liz shakes her head, blows her whistle to get Elena's attention and then skates out to her. "Alright, Elena. That's enough for today or you'll end up on crutches too."

"No, Liz. I have to train for both of us," she says and then starts to skate away before Liz catches up with her and leads her off of the ice. Lily is chatting with Damon by the time they get to the sidelines. Elena has tears in her eyes when she sits down. Damon feels that much worse when he sees them.

Having picked up on the tension between them too, Lily offers to take Damon home to take care of him.

Liz glances from Damon to Elena and finally to his mom. "Lily, I think that's a wonderful idea."

Damon nods reluctantly but he knows she needs space and right now, they're on edge around each other. When his mom stands up, he gets up to follow her out of the building.

"Elena, honey, this is for the best."

"So you're taking his side now. Things aren't all sunshine and unicorns, the first hint of trouble, he runs home to his mother?" Elena looks over her shoulder just as Damon looks back, their eyes meet and he can see that she's upset. She hates it that he's running out on her, on them. Damon hates leaving too but he needs to be able to rest and think. He won't be able to with her mood swings and her hovering.

"Elena, that's not true. You two are eating each other alive, you both can use some space."

"So you're giving him the okay to run away now?"

"Elena," Liz starts laying her hands on her shoulders. "Chill. I'm not on anyone's side, I'm Switzerland. You're miserable, he's miserable. I know you love each other but sometimes couples need a break too."

"Fine, Liz. I'm going home. I'll see you tomorrow."

Liz nods and watches her leave. Sighing heavily, she turns around just in time to see one of other pupils attempting a jump. Frustrated herself, she throws her arms in the air and then skates towards the girl.

* * *

A couple of days pass, Damon and Elena don't see each other. He's got an appointment with Meredith and is working out with a physical therapist to get himself back in top physical condition. He knows the medal is important to her, hell, it's important to him too. He wants to win for his father, he raises his eyes, hoping that somehow his old man is looking down on him. Perhaps his mother is too. Although it's better than nothing, he hates having to communicate with Elena only by phone and text, he misses her terribly, he just wishes he knew where they stand with each other.

When he gets the okay to put on his skates, he walks into the rink with his skates hanging around his neck. He pauses looking around till he sees her. God, he misses her. Before he puts his skates on, he gingerly walks down the stairs and onto the ice with his shoes, not stopping till he comes face to face with her. When she drops her eyes, he reaches over, raising her chin with two fingers so she has to look at him.

"We've got work to do, Elena."

"Can you? Work I mean?"

"Yep, come on, let's practice.

Elena looks at him rather suspiciously while he puts his skates on but takes his hand when he glides over to her. They start to skate around when Liz turns on some music for them. Taking both of her hands in his, he skates backwards pulling her along with a few stylish moves. Speeding up, he latches onto her waist, spinning her with finesse. Elena can't deny that he seems to be okay. He takes her hand, together they do their fancy foot routine then they begin to move skate faster and when he raises her up, it's into a press lift. Instinctively trusting him, she spreads her arms, the two of them forming a graceful picture on the ice.

"Damon put me down, it's too much."

"I told you that I was given permission to come back."

"Were you given permission to go all out? Shouldn't you take it slow?"

"What do you want from me, Elena? First you want this and then you want that. It's like you're bipolar. I can't seem to do anything right."

Feeling her emotions getting the best of her, Elena stares at him for a few minutes, her eyes glass over and then she skates off the ice and runs into the women's bathroom. As soon as she comes out, Liz calls them both over to have a word.

"Whatever is going on with you two needs to stop. This is exactly what I warned you two about, the need to keep your personal and professional lives separate. Otherwise there will be no chance to succeed. I'm many things but I'm not a fool. I know something is going on that has nothing to do with Damon's injury. Now what is it?"

"I'm nervous all the time. I'm worried about Damon. Is he really supposed to be going all out already?"

"I talked to Meredith myself, Elena."

Elena sighs. Damon steps back and starts doing some warm up routines. She watches him, her mouth parting indignantly when she sees Rebekah close in on him. She's even more upset when Damon starts laughing at whatever she said. With a roll of his eyes, he skates away from her. It's then that Rebekah skates lazily over to where Elena is standing.

"Boy troubles?" Rebekah taunts, popping her bubble gum.

"Damon and I are just fine," Elena spits, glowering at the vixen.

"Sure you are," she winks and then skates to the other side of the rink where her father is standing. Damon looks around just in time to see Elena stalking off the ice. She sits down on the bench and removes her skates. Dropping her face into her hands, she tries to breathe through the sick feeling in her stomach. Feeling a hand on her shoulder, she looks up.

"You okay?"

"I don't know, Damon. I don't feel good. My head hurts and my stomach is upset. I think I'm just going to go home and take a nap."

"Are you getting sick?" He puts his palm over her forehead to check her temperature, she's not hot but she does feel clammy.

"I don't think so. I'm leaving that way I won't interrupt you and Rebekah."

Before Damon can get a word in, she stuffs her skates in her gym bag and runs out, holding her stomach with one hand. Damon stands there with his mouth agape for about thirty seconds before he chases after her. He can't run with his leg but he goes as fast he can, reaching the parking lot just as she pulls onto the street.

"Son of a bitch!" He goes back inside to get his stuff and then he jumps in his own car to go after her. Rebekah means nothing to him, she was never more than an easy lay back when he was popping pills and walking around in a stupor most of the time. He reaches their place, parks the car and goes inside. He finds her in the bathroom, losing her lunch. He quickly pulls her hair away from her face with one hand while moistening a washcloth with the other to put on the back of her neck.

"Elena, come on, let's get you to bed." He helps her stand up, hands her a toothbrush and once she finishes, he pulls out a pair of pajamas and tucks her in. He drops a quick kiss to her forehead then pulls the door closed when he leaves the room. He makes himself a bed on the couch should she need something, fatigue soon lulls him to sleep.

* * *

Damon wakes up, stretching his limbs, he grimaces a bit cause his leg is still sore but it's a far side better than it was. After laying there for a few more minutes, he gets up. He looks at the clock and sees that it's nearly noon. He quickly grabs his phone to text Liz that Elena is sick so they're staying home today. He chuckles when she sends him the sick emoji back along with a note that they better be on time the next morning. After assuring her that they'll be there tomorrow, he peeks in on Elena. He smiles when he sees that she's still sound asleep. As quietly as he can steps over to the bedside and just looks at her. She's so beautiful both inside and out. He knows that he's the luckiest man in the world. Damon touches two fingers to his lips and then ever so wispily, he presses them against her cheek before leaving the room to make her some soup.

A little while later, he returns to her place after making a quick trip to the grocery store to get the ingredients he needs. Luckily his mom taught him how to cook, telling him more than once that it impresses the ladies. He's busy chopping carrots when two arms wrap around his waist, her head pressed between his shoulder blades. "Hey," she mumbles through her yawn. "What are you making?"

"I am making you some chicken noodle soup."

He turns around and brushes a kiss to the crown of her head. He smiles at her when she looks up at him.

"We have to get to practice."

"Relax, I told Liz that you were sick."

"Damon, we need to practice."

"We also need to talk." He pulls out a chair to tell her to sit down. Damon stirs the soup, then pulls a cup out of the cupboard and pours her some orange juice and slides it in front of her. He takes the seat across from her and reaches his arms across to squeeze her hands.

"I love you, Elena. I know we've been a little short and distant with each other but you need to know how much I love you. Whether we win a medal or not is immaterial to me. Having you in my life means more to me than any medal could. I know it's important to you, it's important to me too and yes, I want it but not as much as I want you. And lastly, you know Rebekah means nothing to me, right?"

"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry Damon. I really didn't mean to make you feel like I was blaming you for getting hurt. I've just been edgy lately with the games getting closer. You're right, our relationship is more important than any medal but you're also right in that I want it. We've been working our whole lives for this moment. Win or lose, I want to leave the ice with the satisfaction that we did our best."

"That's what I want too, Elena. I love you so much."

"I love you too, Damon," she starts to say, covering her mouth when she yawns again.

"Alright, let's get you back to bed."

Nodding, she yawns again, taking Damon's hand, she follows him to their room where he tucks her in with a kiss. He starts to leave, pausing at the doorway, he smiles at her, pulls the door closed and goes back to the kitchen to finish his soup.

* * *

Damon and Elena have been working their asses off. Tomorrow they'll all get on the plane to fly to the Olympic venue. They're both nervous and excited, practicing sun up to sun down almost everyday.

Hearing Liz's whistle, he offers her his hand, she stares at him for a moment before latching on. Their eyes meet just as the music starts and Damon leads her gracefully into a series of spins and lifts. Although he's trying to stay focused on what he's doing, sometimes he loves her so much that it's hard. He pulls her in close, their bodies touching as if they were part of a beautiful symphony not of words but of balletic type movements. As they near the end of the program, they build up speed, finish with a jump and then a death spiral that they perform flawlessly.

Liz starts clapping. "Great job." She glances down at her wrist watch. "Why don't you guys change, lunch is on me."

They're both panting and out of breath so they just nod and then skate off the ice, quickly slipping on their sweats and athletic shoes. The three of them walk across the street to the little café. They have the best food. The waitress seats them, fills their water glasses and hands them each a menu.

"I think I'm going to have a hot beef sandwich," Damon says aloud, his nose still perusing the menu.

"That does sound good, I'll have the same. What about you, Elena?"

"I'm going to have the chicken noodle soup. It just sounds good." She sets the menu down then picks up her water glass to have a drink.

"It's medicine. You started to feel better after I made you some."

"You know when I was pregnant with Caroline, chicken noodle soup was the only thing I could keep in my stomach."

Elena's eyes grow wide and she nearly spits out her water, instead she starts coughing, having sucked some of the liquid down the wrong pipe. Damon gently pats her back. When she can finally breathe, she excuses herself to use the bathroom. After washing her hands and face, she stares at herself in the mirror.

 _It can't be true, she's been on the pill the whole time. This could ruin everything._

Butterflies take fight in her belly and she feels nauseous all over again, barely reaching the toilet before she loses what's left of the breakfast that she ate hours ago. Her legs are a bit unsteady but she rinses her mouth out and then goes back out to join them, just as the waitress shows up to take their orders.

"You okay, babe?" Damon asks after the waitress walks off.

Although she's a bundle of nerves inside, she assures him that she's good. They eat their lunch and then go back to the rink to finish practicing. Liz lets them out early to get a goodnight's sleep since they have to catch their plane tomorrow morning. Holding her hand, Damon leads her to his car, opening the door for her. On the way home, they stop by Lily's house to say hello. He and Elena have to take the plane with the other athletes but she's coming along with Elena's aunt and uncle next week before the ice skating competition begins.

Stepping into the house, he tells Elena to sit down while he looks for his mom. He finds her in the kitchen baking some rhubarb bars. "Hi mom."

Turning around, Lily smiles and walks over to him. She pinches his cheeks and kisses his forehead just like she's always done. Sometimes Damon wishes that she would have found another man so she didn't have to be by herself. He worries about her now that he's living with Elena. He does call her everyday though and he stops over a couple times a week. She's been his mother since he was an infant, even though they're not related by blood, she's always, always been his mom. He loves her so much and he knows without her support, he never would have been able to beat his drug habit. She was there with him through the worst of it.

"Where's Elena?"

"She's in the living room. I think she's a little nervous about tomorrow cause she's been pretty quiet since lunch."

"It's early yet, why don't you run to the store and get some vanilla ice cream. It will be good with the bars. Can you stay for supper?"

"We're all packed, we just need to get to the airport on time."

Lily smiles and reaches into the cookie jar to give him some cash for the ice cream. He shakes it off, kisses her cheek and goes out through the back door. Lily takes off her apron and goes to see Elena. Lily is surprised to see her eyes puffy when she looks up. She hurries over and sits down beside her.

"What's the matter, sweetheart?"

"Oh Lily, I.. it's nothing, I'm just tired. All my life I've been training for the Olympics and we're almost there."

Damon's mom pulls Elena into her arms and rocks her gently. "Are you sure that's all it is?"

"I'm positive."

"Have you talked to Damon?"

"Uh, uh," she shakes her head no. "I don't want to worry him."

"He's not here, I sent him out to get some ice cream."

"That sounds good."

"Alright, sweetheart. Try not to worry about it. You have a lot on your plate the next couple of weeks."

"We do...,"

"We do what?" Damon asks, walking into the house with a brown paper bag.

"Have a lot going on. Now give me that ice cream and you can set the table."

"Yes, mam." He mock salutes his mom, gives Elena kiss and then follows Lily to the kitchen. He looks over his shoulder, winking at Elena before disappearing through the door.

* * *

Damon and Elena are sitting with Lily, Liz, and Jenna to watch team USA hockey. Damon is holding her hand, occasionally looking down at her and smiling. She doesn't miss how he rubs his leg from time to time. She feels her nerves beginning to erupt in her belly. "Does you leg hurt?"

"It aches a little. It's fine, Elena. We'll be fine."

"You sure you're okay?"

"I'm positive. He leans over, placing his lips against her ear. "Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm good, really good." She turns to face him, pressing a quick kiss to his cheek. The crowd erupts in applause but they're oblivious to it as they stare at each other. The day after tomorrow is their long program, right now they're one tenth of a point behind the leaders. Damon would prefer to be in the lead but he's confident that they can still win the gold if they give it their best performance. When the hockey game is over, they say goodnight to their family and head back to their dorms. He kisses her fiercely on the lips then a quick drop to her nose.

Damon can't help but notice the uneasy look on Elena's face. "What's going on, babe?"

"We need to talk."

"Okay?" He takes her hand and walks her to the stairwell. It's empty and dim. They sit on the top step facing each other. "What is it, Elena?"

She drops her eyes to her lap. Damon reaches over and raises her chin with a gentle hand. When he sees hers are glistening, his heart starts to stampede against his chest. "Talk to me."

"I'm.. we're pregnant."

Damon's eyes widen to the size of saucers and his mouth drops open. He wordlessly opens and closes it a couple of times before he can finally form a sentence. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. I took a test."

"Have you been to a doctor?"

"No, I just took the drugstore one."

"Oh, Elena," he whispers. Sliding over, he pulls her onto his lap. "I love you. We'll be fine but I think we should withdraw. I don't want to do anything that might jeopardize our child."

"Do you mean that?"

"Of course I do. Nothing is more important than you and our potential baby, assuming the test was correct."

"I love you, Damon, so much. We don't have to drop out, I'm not the first pregnant athlete to perform in the Olympics. No one has to know till afterwards."

"Are you sure, Elena?"

"I'm positive."

"God, I love you." Damon cradles her face with his palms and kisses her long hard and deep. When they pull apart, both of their chests are heaving. Just as Damon moves to drop his mouth to hers once more, they hear footsteps and giggling. He rolls his eyes and helps her to stand. After pulling the stairwell door open, he wraps his arm around her shoulders and walks her back to her room. He gives her one more kiss before backing out of her doorway and retreating into his own across the hall.

* * *

They're standing in the wings, waiting their turn as the couple from Japan skate through the last minute of their long program. Damon's hands are clammy and his belly is fluttering. He's nervous about their lifts and throws. When he feels her fingers linking with his, he smiles down at her. All he has to do is look into those deep brown pools to know everything will be alright.

They smile as the other couple leaves the ice. As soon as their scores are announced, Damon and Elena skate onto the ice and get into position. They make their first moves when their music, The main theme from " _Free Willy_ " by Basil Poledouris begins to play.

With adrenaline burning through their veins like a wildfire, they gracefully stretch out their arms as they begin to pick up speed so they can complete their move, a spiral sequence with Elena gliding in a catch-foot position and Damon in arabesque. It has beautiful lines. Then they split and skate backwards, performing a quad twist. Damon launches Elena into the air, catching her when she comes down. They skate gracefully, their arm and leg movements in perfect synchronization with each other.

Continuing, Damon picks her up and throws Elena over his back in an acrobatic move, helping her down, a triple toe loop following immediately after. With precise synchronicity, they move into position and make a side by side triple salchow. The crowd is in awe, clapping wildly with each jump they land perfectly. A hand-to-hand-lift with an overhead rotational with release to one-hand hold and then he gracefully puts her down.

Elena smiles widely when they move together in a pairs spin, their backs as straight as they can be, their posture and lines beautiful. Their program is in the last minute but they still have a couple of big jumps to execute. Side by side they skate hard and build up speed and then they do side by side flips landing perfectly and immediately afterwards, they do a double axel, their program culminating in a gorgeously executed death spiral. As soon as the music stops, the audience erupts in wild applause, whistles and horns. Flowers are thrown onto the ice. Elena and Damon hug before they skate over to the sidelines to wait for their scores.

Damon's heart is chugging like a freight train. Liz sits down beside him and hands him a bottle of water. He takes a big swallow then gives it to Elena. Her hand is splayed over her tummy, she looks a little green. He leans over to kiss her neck, he feels her pulse beating like a humming bird beneath his lips. Although he wants so much more, he can't while they're in public so he gives her a wink and sits upright again. She shoots him a beaming smile.

When the numbers flash across the screen, Damon wraps Elena in his arms, squeezes her tight and brushes a kiss to the top of her head. They did it, they won the Olympic Gold Medal. It's the culmination of years of hard work and practice.

Turning around, Damon smiles and waves when he sees his mom. She's cheering wildly along with Jenna. After the program, they stand on the podium for the medal ceremony. Both have tears in their eyes when the medals are draped around their necks. Once the anthem is played, they step down and wave at the audience.

As they're about to leave the arena, they're pulled over by a reporter to ask them about their future plans. "Congratulations Damon and Elena. You were both brilliant out there this evening."

"Thank you, it was intense."

"Now that you've won Olympic gold, will you stay competitive or turn pro?"

Damon winks at Elena and squeezes her hand. "We haven't really thought much about it yet. The excitement is still so new. But I can tell you that our immediate plans are to be gold medal parents."

They don't answer anymore questions, instead, Damon gives her sweltering kiss then he takes her hand, they join their families and walk out of the arena to start the next chapter of their lives.

* * *

 _I never thought I'd add a chapter to this story. I had some requests so we decided to revisit this Damon and Elena._

 _Thank you Eva, again for helping me write this story. You're amazing and brilliant and I'm so lucky to have you as my partner._

 _Thank you all for everything. I hope you all enjoyed this. We'd love to hear your thoughts._

 _Chapter title: 'Five Rings' is meant to represent the Olympic symbol, the five interlocking rings._

 _I did update 'Eyes Without a Face' yesterday._

 _Bar something unforeseen, I plan to post the first chapter of "I'll Be Seeing You" later this week: On a train bound for Mystic Falls, Elena meets Damon, a soldier on leave for the holidays. The pair are attracted to each other and in the warm atmosphere of the Christmas season friendship blossoms into romance. But with each having secrets... will their pasts deny them a future, one that may or may not come?_

 _Be safe and have a fantastic day. We'll see you in a couple of days._


End file.
